1. Field of Invention:
This invention relates to devices and methods for orienting and aiming a shotgun with respect to a target. More particularly, the present invention pertains to aiming devices for a shotgun which are particularly helpful in trap shooting and field applications where target movement is sudden and rapid.
2. Prior Art:
The contrast between rifle shooting and using a shotgun may best be appreciated by contrasting conventional methods of sighting each weapon. Rifles are specifically designed for accuracy. With a rifle which has been properly sight-adjusted, proper firing alignment and elevation occur; when the front sight of the rifle is brought into alignment with a rear sight. The combination of front and rear sight establish the trajectory of the weapon to the target. Similarly, a rifle scope establishes the trajectory for the rifle, based on crosshairs within the scope.
In contrast, conventional shooting of a shotgun does not typically utilize front and rear sight alignment. Such technique is simply not useful because the shotgun is intended for use with rapidly moving targets such as skeet and birds encountered at close range. The shooter simply does not have time to align front and rear sights on the target. Such alignment is impeded by (i) the need to rapidly move the weapon to "catch up" with the moving target and (ii) the difficulty of maintaining the target in visual focus while visually keeping track of the sighting alignment. Therefore, proper alignment of the shotgun is a matter of estimating than actual sighting on the target.
Trap shooting perhaps best exemplifies conventional techniques for using a shotgun. An initial challenge faced by a shooter is to locate the target as it is ejected from ground level. In other words, the target or bird must be identified as it comes up from underneath the gun. Once the bird is located, the shooter must quickly swing the shotgun barrel into the proper trajectory, advance ahead of the bird and fire. Because this movement must be rapid, most shooters do not have the ability to maintain eye contact with the target and also visually focus on a small aiming bead such as is typically associated with the end of a shotgun barrel. One either sees the aiming bead and loses track of the bird or one keeps focus on the target and loses the visual connection with the sight itself. Therefore, the shooter attempts to establish his line of sight along the shotgun barrel before the bird is launched, and then move his whole upper body and line of sight to an estimated intercept with the target in its line of flight.